Becoming the Breen's #7 -- The Ceremony!

Hello, friends! 

Our very first anniversary is TOMORROW! Crazy! 

If you've been following the past few posts, you've read all about our wedding experience & the events leading up to our big day. In the last post you got to see a bunch of pictures from the morning of the wedding taken mostly by Katie from Kate Blank Photography! Today you'll to read about the actual ceremony & reception & see a TON of pictures from the wedding itself! Tomorrow, check back for a letter to my husband on our anniversary to wrap up the "Becoming the Breen's" series I've been doing this week. :-)

Our Wedding Ceremony:

It was finally, finally here! The day we'd waited years for. The day we'd planned for, saved for & dreamed of had FINALLY arrived! As I sat outside the church in the limo on that cold, rainy October day, I felt this calm, blissful feeling in my chest. I was here. This was really happening. I was about to marry the love of my life. All I had to do was walk through those doors. I couldn't believe it!

So many times I'd thought of this day. I'd pictured this moment a thousand times in my head. This was better than even my wildest fantasy could dream. I was here in the most beautiful dress I'd ever seen with my closest family & friends by my side, the rest sitting within those doors & best of all... The love of my life was standing at the end of that aisle! It was like a dream!

Some brides get nervous just before walking down the aisle & I can completely understand why. But I felt the least amount of nesvousness I'd felt in weeks. The planning was over. The craziness was done. I was about to marry my best friend. As I stood in the back of the church with my bridemaids, flowergirls & my dad, I could hear my Aunt Debbie singing inside. She sounded absolutely amazing as she finished up the last notes to "You Raise Me Up" which I knew meant that the moms were finishing up lighting the unity candle. 

I stood to the side as the doors opened. I heard the beginning notes of Ava Maria. (Seriously. Like angels singing!) & one by one my bridesmaids, flower girls, ring bearer & then my matron of honor slipped through the doors. Each one glancing back at me & smiling before beginning their walk down the aisle. 

I felt a fluttering in my stomach. The last notes to Ava Maria ended. I heard the music change & the first few notes of Canon in D began to swell throughout the church. This was it! This was the moment! 

My dad's arm tightened around my hand. He glanced over & smiled. I smiled back. The doors opened....

"These are the hands of your best friend, 

young and strong and full of love for you, 

that are holding yours on your wedding day, 

as you promise to love each other today, tomorrow and forever. 

These are the hands that will work alongside yours,
 as together you build your future. 

These are the hands that will passionately love you 
and cherish you through the years, 

& with the slightest touch, will comfort you like no other. 

These are the hands that will hold you when fear or grief fills your mind. 

These are the hands that will countless times, 
wipe the tears from your eyes; 

tears of sorrow, and tears of joy. 
These are the hands that will tenderly hold your children. 
These are the hands that will help you to hold your family as one. 
These are the hands that will give you strength when you need it. 
And lastly, these are the hands that even when wrinkled and aged, 
will still be reaching for yours, 
still giving you the same unspoken tenderness with just a simple touch."

As we left the church after the ceremony & I sat, holding my new husband's hand in the limo. It was pouring rain which meant that getting pictures done was probably going to be quite a disaster. But we were married. It was official! We were Mr & Mrs Breen! No matter how much it rained, or how terrible the pictures turned out... No matter what happened from this moment forward, we were married. I was now the wife of the most amazing man I'd ever known. 

Next up is the reception! Check back later for that post! :-)